The past month has been a busy one for Tourism and for Gansbaai. The long weekends and holidays proved that Gansbaai is still a popular holiday destination. Gansbaai Tourism joined with the Community Policing Forum in a friendly roadblock on Thursday the 24th of March. We handed out welcoming packs to about 150 visitors. The Cape Whale Coast attends many of the tourism shows and this past month has attended the Cape Getaway. Maureen from Gansbaai attended on Friday the 1st of April. This is always a popular show as visitors come to find out what is new and different and where they can go on holiday! As a result of winning the Best Responsible Tourism award in 2015, Gansbaai had its own stand at the World Travel Market in Cape Town from the 6th-8th of April.
There was great interest in Gansbaai as a destination from the tour operators who were keen to find out what Gansbaai has to offer apart from the well-known shark cage diving. This gave me a wonderful opportunity to market all our other attractions and activities. At the beginning of March, Platbos hosted Greenpop and over 8,000 trees were planted. This is a wonderful initiative to ensure the future of forests and trees. About 500 young people from across the Western Cape come for the weekend and have a great deal of fun while planting trees. This is a great introduction to Gansbaai and we expect that many of them will return to partake in other activities. Gansbaai Tourism made a donation of R2,500 to this worthy cause.
In Maart was daar 1,365 besoekers in die buro en dit is 100 meer as verlede jaar. Al die besoekers (en plaaslike inwoners) is baie beïndruk met ons toerismesentrum. Die personeel is vriendelik en hulpvaardig en die inligting is volop en insiggewend. Op die 12de April het ‘n bus van 60 senior burgers vanaf Plumstead Gansbaai besoek. Hul het by die Toerismeburo ingeloer op pad na die hawe en grotte. ‘n Tweede bus word op Saterdag 23 April verwag. Maandag, 11 Maart het die jaarlikse Penguin Waddle hier in Gansbaai begin en ‘n opgewekte groep van die Strandveld Stapklub en Gansbaai Spar het die res van die klomp deur die Hoofstraat van Gansbaai vergesel. Daar is dus ‘n baie bedrywige tydjie agter die rug en na die langnaweek einde Mei sal dinge seker stiller raak. Maar nie vir lank nie - want die suidelikenoordkapper walvisse is oppad; die winterfynbos lok die fynboskenner na die area en ten spyte van die weer, kom daar nogsteeds besoekers wat vir die stadslewe wil vlug!
Glenda Kitley: Gansbaai Tourism Manager
